President William Ruto has left the country to attend the inauguration of Rwandan President Paul Kagame for his fourth term in office.
The travel is at the invitation of President Kagame, according to President’s spokesperson Hussein Mohamed.
“President William Ruto travels to Kigali, Rwanda, today at the invitation of H.E. Paul Kagame to attend the inauguration ceremony of President Kagame for his fourth term, following the successful July 15, election,” he said.
The spokesperson added that under President Kagame, the Kenya-Rwanda relations have “blossomed, with commercial and people to people ties further consolidating for the mutual benefit of both countries and the region.”
This will be Ruto’s first trip outside the country since the outbreak of countrywide anti-government protests , which have been ongoing for the past three months.
Kagame was declared the winner of the Rwandan election with 8,822,794 votes (99.18 per cent).
His closest challenger, Habineza Frank, garnered a paltry 44,479 votes, while the third candidate, Mpayimana Philippe, had only 28,466 votes.
The Rwandan electoral commission had barred at least three presidential aspirants, including the president’s most vocal critics, from contesting.
President William Ruto was among the first leaders who congratulated Kagame after his re-election.